Formed sheet metal parts are manufactured using a deep-drawing process in which a planar sheet metal blank (hereinafter, a “blank”) is pressed into a desired three-dimensional shape using a multi-part pressing tool. Typically, the pressing tool includes three independent parts: a die, a binder, and a punch. The die comprises an inner cavity for receiving the punch. During the deep-drawing process, a first portion of the blank is clamped between the binder and the edge zones of the die cavity while the punch is lowered into the die cavity, stretching and forming a second portion of the blank into the shape of the part. As a result, the blank (hereinafter, a “drawn blank”) is transformed into a three-dimensional shape that includes three component geometries: a binder geometry comprising the first portion of the blank, a part geometry comprising the second portion of the blank, and an addendum geometry extending between the binder geometry and the part geometry.
Deep-drawing processes for new products are often simulated on a computing system, such as a Computer Aided Design (CAD) system, before the pressing tool is developed and tested. During this simulation, the desired part geometry for the drawn blank is determined by a design engineer using a CAD system. Corresponding binder and addendum geometries are also determined based on known characteristics of the desired part material and the deep-drawing process. These determined component geometries may then be utilized to determine the appropriate dimensions and surfaces for the pressing tool components (e.g., the die, the binder, and the punch).
With respect to the determination of the component geometries for a drawn blank, the development of an appropriate addendum geometry presents a significant issue for the design engineer. The addendum geometry must be correlated to the part geometry and to the binder geometry to avoid undesirable results, such as tearing or wrinkling, in a drawn blank. Determining the dimensions of an addendum geometry that provides such a precise transition between the binder and part geometries can be a very time consuming process, often requiring the efforts of multiple design engineers. Consequently, the development of addendum geometries can have a significant impact on the costs associated with developing a new product.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system and a method for quickly identifying an addendum geometry that provides a precise transition between corresponding part and binder geometries. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.